England to play 3 tour matches ahead of first Ashes test

England's Joe Root hits out from the bowling of South Africa's Andile Phehlukwayo, during the One Day International at Headingley, Leeds, England Wednesday May 24, 2017. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — England will play tour games in Perth, Adelaide and Townsville before facing Australia in the first Ashes test at the Gabba in Brisbane on Nov. 23.

Cricket Australia said Thursday that England and its captain Joe Root will start its schedule against a Western Australia XI in a two-day match at the WACA on Nov. 4-5. Earlier this month, the venue for the third test was moved to the WACA when it was determined a new stadium in Perth would not be finished in time.

Following the two-day match in Perth, England will travel to the Adelaide Oval for a four-day, day-night tour match against a Cricket Australia XI from Nov. 8-11. That will give them a chance to get accustomed to the pink ball which will be in use for the first day-night Ashes test at the same venue beginning Dec. 2.

England will then have a chance to acclimatize to the Queensland heat with a final four-day tour game, again taking on a CA XI, but this time with the red ball, at Townsville’s Tony Ireland Stadium in tropical North Queensland state from Nov.15-18.

“Those fans here to support England can get along to these matches and in particular, we’re pleased to be able to bring a four-day match up to Townsville,” CA team performance manager Pat Howard said.

At the conclusion of the second test in Adelaide, England will again head west for another two-day match against a Cricket Australia XI from Dec. 9-10, ahead of the WACA test which begins on Dec. 14. The fourth test begins in Melbourne on Dec. 26 and the fifth in Sydney on Jan. 4.

England’s one-day international team will have one 50-over tour match to prepare for their five-game ODI series against Australia in January, to be played at a yet-to-be-confirmed venue in Sydney on Jan. 11. The first ODI will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Jan. 14.